Plenary: The AI world and IBM Watson developments

Paul has headed the EMEA Watson Group since 2014 – the year in which IBM’s ‘super-computer’ Watson became famous for winning the popular US quiz show, Jeopardy. He previously held a series of executive and sales management roles during a 13 year career at IBM, most recently heading up its server group in the UK and Ireland. He previously worked in corporate financing for the Natwest Group, now part of Royal Bank of Scotland.

Peter has led IBM’s Emerging Technology Programme (ETP) for 12 years, charged with accelerating ideas from research to client adoption. The ETP has delivered over 200 client projects and turned many research ideas into full scale software products often working in collaboration with academic groups, industrial research partners and start-up organisations. Peter also advises a range of academic research programmes, including the Dot.Rural programme based at Aberdeen University, and represents IBM on a range of technical and standards groups.